Carbon capture via wetted wall column: Determining the effect of sodium glycinate concentration on carbon dioxide absoption and overall mass transfer coefficient

• Main Authors: Angeles, Neil Patrick C., Camacho, Janver B., Tam-od, Joshua M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Subjects: Carbon sequestration; Chemical Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/13359; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=14004&context=etd_bachelors
• Institution: De La Salle University

The looming threat of climate change due to global warming is driving the development of technologies geared towards mitigating the latter’s effects. Carbon capture is at the forefront of this development given that carbon dioxide accounts for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 capture and storage presents a promising potential solution to steadily rising CO2 levels. Applications of this technology vary but the most widely studied and implemented version is post-combustion CO2 capture, primarily via absorption via amines and their derivatives. This study focuses on determining the efficacy on CO2 absorption of varying concentrations of sodium glycinate (SG) solutions at constant flow rates and temperature using a wetted wall column. The concentrations studied were 1%, 3%, and 6% at a temperature range of 10oC – 15oC, solvent flow rate of 100 mL/min and simulated flue gas flow rate of 2 L/min. The findings indicate a direct proportionality between the concentrations of the solvent used and the percentage CO2 absorbed. The mean percentage CO2 absorbed ranged from 25.6% to 85.2% while the mean overall mass transfer coefficient was from 0.0717 to 0.4878 mmol/m2skPa. Data analysis was done with Minitab® and the results showed that solvent concentration has a statistically significant effect on both parameters; specifically indicating a strong direct proportionality between them. While the study does conclude that the 6% sodium glycinate solution presented the best results, the trend of increase points to further considerable improvements with increased concentrations. Theloomingthreatofclimatechangeduetoglobalwarmingisdrivingthe developmentoftechnologiesgeared towardsmitigatingthe latter’seffects. Carbon captureisattheforefrontofthisdevelopmentgiventhatcarbondioxideaccountsforthe majority of greenhouse gas emissions.CO2 capture and storage presents a promising potentialsolutiontosteadilyrisingCO2levels.Applicationsofthistechnologyvarybut the mostwidelystudied andimplementedversionispost-combustion CO2capture, primarilyvia absorption viaamines andtheir derivatives. Thisstudyfocuseson determiningtheefficacyonCO2absorptionofvaryingconcentrationsofsodium glycinate(SG) solutions atconstant flowrates andtemperatureusing awettedwall column.The concentrations studied were 1%, 3%, and 6% at a temperature range of 10oC – 15oC, solvent flow rate of 100 mL/min and simulated flue gas flow rate of 2 L/min.Thefindingsindicateadirectproportionalitybetweentheconcentrationsofthe solventusedandthepercentageCO2absorbed. ThemeanpercentageCO2absorbed ranged from 25.6% to 85.2% while the mean overall mass transfer coefficient was from 0.0717to0.4878mmol/m2skPa.DataanalysiswasdonewithMinitab®andtheresults showedthat solventconcentration hasastatisticallysignificanteffectonboth parameters;specificallyindicating astrongdirectproportionalitybetweenthem.While the studydoesconclude thatthe6%sodiumglycinatesolutionpresentedthebest results, the trend of increase points tofurther considerable improvements with increased concentrations.